Chapter 41 The Absurd Yet Reasonable Rongguo Mansion "The Earl of Zhongyong said he knew..."

"It's good... but it's not bad either."

Lin Daiyu's answer gave Mu Chuan the feeling that the execution was only halfway through, but even if she only said "okay," Mu Chuan would not give up.

Back then, you had to be more manipulative; now you can be more direct and guide her step by step to see how unworthy Jia Baoyu is of entrusting her life to him.

"In this kind of thing, as long as you like it and you think it's good, then it's really good."

Lin Daiyu looked up at Mu Chuan: "Third Brother, how can you be so eloquent? I originally thought you were going to..."

Mu Chuan looked at him with disappointment: "I really don't think much of him. Is he better at studying or practicing martial arts?"

Lin Daiyu hesitated, and Mu Chuan sighed helplessly, rubbing his forehead. This action, however, made Lin Daiyu laugh.

“I just want to ask what he’s suited for. I’ll find him a job so that your life will be easier in the future, and you won’t have to put up with his parents.”

"He studied..." but could not take the imperial examination.

"Riding a horse..." But someone was leading the horse for him.

Seeing Lin Daiyu's troubled expression, Mu Chuan laughed happily, thinking, "She really is utterly useless."

"Alright, I understand. Don't worry about it. That's how it is with the grandchildren of big families. They're spoiled by their elders and pampered by their parents. As long as they don't cause trouble, it's fine. My nephew, I mean my godfather's nephew, is the same way."

"Eh? ...Is it considered troublesome for the chief clerk of the Prince Zhongshun's residence to come knocking on our door?"

Mu Chuan acted so dramatically that he seemed about to faint, but then he comforted him with a tea-smacking tone: "Actually, if you look at it from another angle, being able to offend the Prince Zhongshun's mansion is a testament to his extraordinary talent."

Lin Daiyu laughed: "He has a good eclectic education. I wouldn't say he's an expert in everything, but he knows quite a lot."

“Then I’ll introduce him to some high-ranking officials and nobles, so he can become a high-class retainer.”

Lin Daiyu hesitated, "He's not good at socializing, and his knowledge of officialdom and economics... well, it's not that he's completely ignorant." As she spoke, Lin Daiyu gave up on herself, "Third Brother, just leave it at that."

“He’s still young, not even twenty yet, and hasn’t even come of age. Besides, he’s from a family like the Duke’s, so his family probably still treats him like a child.” Mu Chuan advised, his voice filled with the aroma of tea. “Don’t worry about it. When I go to take up my post, I’ll take him with me. Let him get some experience in the army, and I’ll try to get him a nominal position in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. It’ll sound better that way.”

Lin Daiyu wanted to say that he was too weak to carry heavy loads and couldn't endure hardship, but if she said that again, she would be ungrateful.

"Third Brother... don't get your hopes up too high."

"They can't be worse than the three hundred Imperial Guards of the Daming Palace, can they?"

Lin Daiyu really thought about it carefully, and realized that Rong-ge'er next door... was definitely better than Rong-ge'er.

"Let's leave it at that for now. I'll see what he's suited for after I've met him. I'm not the King of Hell; I won't train him to death."

That's what they say, but Mu Chuan felt that this was going against his true intentions; he had no sincerity at all, and Jia Baoyu was unwilling in the slightest.

Jia Baoyu is a person...

If we say that Jia Baoyu ran away when the maid died at the beginning, well, the maid was a nobleman's son, and he treated maids as objects.

He claimed to enjoy spending time with his sisters, completely ignoring their plight. All he wanted were beautiful sisters to accompany him in composing poetry and living in the idyllic Grand View Garden.

He said he liked Lin Daiyu, but he didn't do anything to improve her living conditions. That's... Anyway, the matriarch will take care of things for him. Bao Er Ye is still a child and doesn't understand these things.

But later, when the Jia family fell into ruin, instead of revitalizing the family business, taking on responsibilities, and repaying the kindness of his grandmother over the years and the family that had sheltered him from the storms, he saw through the vanity of the world and became a monk.

Is this a sign of renunciation of the world? Or is it that they've gone to find Buddha to take over their burdens?

If we were to say that the entire Jia family wronged and killed many people, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with Jia Baoyu.

In short, he got all the benefits but didn't take on any responsibility.

Mu Chuan is not afraid of Jia Baoyu's ambition; the possibility of Jia Baoyu's ambition is not as great as the possibility of him becoming the emperor and usurping the throne.

Of course, he had no intention of usurping the throne, and Jia Baoyu had absolutely no chance of making any progress.

Mu Chuan stood up: "It's getting dark, shall I take you home?"

Lin Daiyu hummed in agreement, but seemed somewhat displeased.

Mu Chuan felt that although her current reluctance was mixed with a lot of "not wanting to return to Rongguo Mansion", one day in the future, her reluctance would definitely turn into "not being able to part with Third Brother".

“I often ask people to visit you, and I often come too. But I’m going to Beiying after the New Year, and I’ll be busy when I first arrive, so I might come less often.”

Lin Daiyu hummed in agreement again, keeping her head down and not looking up.

“Just tell me what you want, don’t ask them for anything. Everything here is mine, and I, the Earl of Zhongyong, am in charge of the Zhongyong Marquis’s mansion. If you ask Jia Baoyu for something… he’s still a junior in the Rongguo Mansion. The things he has were given to him by his parents or grandmother. If you use things that were given to their children, their elders won’t be happy.”

Lin Daiyu glanced at him, her displeasure clearly visible in her eyes: "Third Brother, so you're saying that it's understandable that Second Aunt doesn't like me? You just said earlier that you also disliked my Second Aunt."

“Didn’t you say she didn’t like you from the beginning? She just hates you even more now. I have an idea for you—” Mu Chuan said with a smile, “It’s a little unorthodox. Just ask her son for something in front of her and see if she gets angry.”

Lin Daiyu chuckled: "If I say a few words to Baoyu in front of her, she gets angry."

"You can anger her to death first," Mu Chuan said, shrugging. "Then you won't have to serve your mother-in-law in the future."

"Third brother, you're being too improper."

"Daiyu, do you perhaps want a wicked mother-in-law?"

Lin Daiyu smiled and stood up as well: "Let's go back."

Mu Chuan called in maids and servants to help her put on warm clothes for going out, and packed various things before getting into the carriage with her.

The location of Dianchi Guild Hall wasn't great. With the Lunar New Year approaching, the city was crowded and the roads were difficult to navigate. By the time we arrived at Rongguo Mansion, it was already getting dark.

As soon as Mu Chuan jumped off his horse, a servant came to greet him with a lantern, and another person rushed inside to report: "Lord Zhongyong has brought Miss Lin back!"

Judging from the obsequious yet cautious smiles on their faces, Mu Chuan knew they had received unprecedentedly strict instructions.

He turned around and watched as Granny Shen helped Lin Daiyu down from the carriage. He casually made up an excuse that it was too dark and stood aside to protect her.

"Next time, paint this stool a bright color. It's so dull and gray, how can you see anything when it gets dark?"

Granny Shen agreed, and Mu Chuan took the opportunity to step forward and whispered to Lin Daiyu, "They know."

"Huh?" Lin Daiyu was staring at the bench and didn't realize what he was talking about for a moment.

“I accused Zhou Rui, and Jia Zheng was impeached because of me. They know about it.” Mu Chuan smiled and said, “Just you wait and see, your life is about to change.”

Running away is not the solution; it's a sign of weakness. Things may look good on the outside, but they're still rotten inside. Only by removing this thorn with your own hands can you truly turn the page.

However, he did not expect the Rongguo Mansion to be so despicable, only shedding tears when they saw the coffin.

Mu Chuan made way, and Lin Daiyu saw Yuanyang hurrying over with Jia Lian.

As soon as Jia Lian stopped, he cupped his hands in greeting to Mu Chuan and said with a smile, "I apologize for not being able to welcome you properly, sir."

Mu Chuan laughed even more heartily than him: "You're too kind."

Yuanyang also came forward, first bowing to Mu Chuan, then helping Lin Daiyu up, and said with a smile, "The old lady was still talking about the young lady while she was eating. I wonder what good food Zhongyong took her out to eat. Even this old woman is a little envious."

Lin Daiyu was a little flustered. She hadn't seen the people of Rongguo Mansion so enthusiastic in a long time, especially Yuanyang. She was the most favored maid in Rongguo Mansion, and there was always a hint of arrogance in her words. Lin Daiyu didn't know that Yuanyang could joke like this, especially joking about her maternal grandmother.

"I... came back late."

Jia Lian laughed and said, "Since you went out with the Earl of Zhongyong, what's there to worry about? Besides, it was the lord himself who escorted you back, so why don't you quickly thank him?"

Lin Daiyu was not used to it; she was extremely unaccustomed to it.

Even Third Brother's smile seemed a bit fake... He doesn't usually talk to her like this.

Lin Daiyu subconsciously looked up, about to thank her third brother, when she saw him wink at her.

It was still that third brother, and Lin Daiyu immediately stopped being nervous.

"Third Brother, you should head back early. It's getting late. Be careful on the road."

Mu Chuan nodded, but Jia Lian was not satisfied. What was there to be careful about, the Marquis of Zhongyong, a great general? It wasn't even dark yet; it was the perfect time for men to drink at night.

However, he had only met the Earl of Zhongyong a few times, and in order to please the old lady, he had not interacted with him much. Besides, at that time he did not know that the Earl of Zhongyong was so influential. The two were not familiar with each other, and he had to rely on Lin Daiyu to build a relationship, so he could not refute it.

Jia Lian then smiled and said, "I'll see you out."

Lin Daiyu watched him mount his horse, then turned around and Yuanyang laughed, "Why aren't you bringing the sedan chair over yet?"

After several instructions from Granny Shen and Mu Chuan, the old women serving in the front yard took much better care of Lin Daiyu. Moreover, with Yuanyang watching over her today, they were even more attentive.

When Yuanyang and the sedan chair arrived, they first lifted the curtain to take a look. Seeing that the cushions had been dried and patted to make them soft, they were satisfied: "I thought that since no one was watching you, you would be neglectful. This is very good."

"Please get in the sedan chair, young lady. I'll take you home first." Before Lin Daiyu could ask, Yuanyang smiled and said, "Although the old lady is worried about you, it's quite late today. There's nothing to worry about if you go out with the Earl of Zhongyong. We can talk about it when we pay our respects tomorrow morning. You're doing well, young lady. I'll tell the old lady when I get back."

She wasn't even told to wash up and go. Lin Daiyu was not used to it. She was so unaccustomed to it that she didn't even know how to respond.

Yuanyang thought she was tired, so she didn't say anything more. Yuanyang looked back again and saw several maids and servants following behind the sedan chair, their hands full of things.

How much was sent this time?

Yuanyang knew that Miss Lin had received many gifts, some of which she had seen before, and some she had not.

Of all the items she had seen, none were of the highest quality, especially those few pieces of clothing. If the Rongguo Mansion were to make winter clothes using slightly better materials, it would be perfectly normal for a maid like her to casually spend twenty taels of silver.

Especially for Second Madam Lian, there's probably no less than fifty taels of silver in her wardrobe.

Even Xing's niece, Miss Xing, who appeared to be poor, so poor that she had to sell her winter clothes, could still sell a single cotton-padded coat for several strings of cash.

Pawnshops won't give you the original price; they'll only give you 10% or 20%. If you pawned it for a few strings of cash, the original price would have been no less than twenty taels.

The clothes that Marquis Zhongyong gave to Miss Lin... the Thousand Gold Fur Coat. Why is it called the Thousand Gold Fur Coat? It's because it's worth a thousand gold pieces.

The fact that they sent the gift like this clearly meant they didn't intend for Miss Lin to relay a message.

Who in the manor couldn't see it? It's just that Zhou Rui's wife is good at talking, and she's just given everyone another fig leaf.

Yuanyang sighed. She was indeed not as cautious as before, but the old lady was getting old and her personality was becoming more and more stubborn. She could see that, but she didn't dare to persuade her. She could only go along with what the old lady wanted to say.

Once the old lady gets over this, she'll get another scolding.

Yuanyang silently escorted Lin Daiyu back to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.

The sedan chair was quite warm, and she was holding a hand warmer in her hands. After a long day out, she was a little tired, and the sedan chair swayed rhythmically all the way back. Lin Daiyu was almost asleep when she got out of the sedan chair. Suddenly, she exclaimed, "I forgot to give something to Third Brother!"

Yuanyang immediately realized what was going on and said with a smile, "Give me the things, and I'll send someone to deliver them to Earl Zhongyong."

Lin Daiyu shook her head. Yuanyang had already kept her small table screen and letter. How could she dare to let her hand over anything else?

"It's nothing important. We can just ask the people from the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion to take it away when they arrive, so we won't have to make another trip."

After Lin Daiyu finished speaking, she remembered that Yuanyang had told her last time to "be more sensible and not make things difficult for the old lady," and she couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

To everyone's surprise, Yuanyang smiled and said without any concern, "You're the one who knows how to care for people."

It's different now, completely different.

Lin Daiyu even took a little bigger steps than usual.

Entering Xiaoxiang Pavilion, she instructed, "Chunxian, come and serve me. Zijuan and Xueyan, you two put your things away and go to rest. You must be more tired than I am after being out all day."

Xiaoxiang Pavilion bustled with activity. Lin Daiyu then said to Yuanyang, "You've just returned. Grandmother must be getting impatient. Sister Yuanyang, please go back quickly so Grandmother won't worry."

Yuanyang then gave two more instructions: "Take good care of the young lady, and don't let her sleep too soundly at night." Only then did she leave.

After washing up, Lin Daiyu leaned against the bed and yawned.

How to put it? It's absurd yet reasonable, bizarre yet inevitable, and she doesn't dislike this feeling.

"Has Lin Daiyu returned?"

"Master Bao," Zijuan responded, leading Jia Baoyu in. She glanced inside again, a rare hint of guilt in her eyes, and said with a smile, "Miss, you should rest now. Master Bao, please come again tomorrow."

Jia Baoyu laughed and said, "It's alright, I'll just talk through the door. My dear sister, I've been waiting for you all day."

He originally intended to wait for his Lin sister to return at Xiaoxiang Pavilion, but Zijuan went out with her, and he wasn't very familiar with the remaining maids.

He thought it would be fine to chat, but he thought that since Lin Daiyu had a maid named Ouguan, he could talk about Fangguan in her room. But Ouguan was a dull person and didn't talk much. She even said that she wasn't familiar with Fangguan.

How infuriating! Last time she was burning paper money in the garden, he even helped her out.

With Xiren coming to fetch him, Jia Baoyu finally returned to Yihong Courtyard.

Upon hearing Jia Baoyu's voice, Lin Daiyu felt a strange emotion she had never experienced before.

She felt ashamed and annoyed, resentful of Jia Baoyu's lack of ambition, and worried that her third brother would think she was useless.

Also, that marriage agreement... why is it that only the Lin family knows about it?

She had never dared to think about this before, but after her third brother said it today, she thought about it briefly... If it were really as her grandmother said, only her grandmother and father would know.

Does that mean nobody would know?

"Master Bao, we are both getting old, and we should avoid suspicion."

Lin Daiyu then remembered that her third brother had sent spies to the Rongguo Mansion to inquire about news. He even claimed that he knew everything, including her own name.

It was as if... Third Brother was watching from the sidelines.

"With so many sisters at home, why didn't you go somewhere else in the middle of the night, Master Bao? Do you think I'm an orphan girl who's easy to bully? Did I come here to amuse you?"

This time she didn't cry, but her voice grew colder and harder, and Jia Baoyu panicked immediately: "Good sister, I was just concerned about you. We grew up together since childhood, and our relationship is special. I—"

With a loud crash, Lin Daiyu smashed a cup out from inside and slammed it against the door: "Master Bao, you haven't read the Four Books, have you not even read the Rites of Zhou? I'll pretend I didn't hear that."

Yuanyang had come during the day and had given detailed instructions to take good care of Miss Lin. Seeing that the cups had been smashed and that Master Bao's words had indeed gone too far, the old women rushed in and stood in front of Jia Baoyu, but dared not touch him.

"Second Master, it's getting dark and cold outside. You should go back and rest early so that the old lady won't worry."

Jia Baoyu felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him from head to toe.

"I waited for my sister all day... How could she betray me like this? What should I do about my feelings?"

The old women laughed awkwardly, "Second Master is usually very considerate. Miss Lin is tired after a long day and needs to rest. Please come again tomorrow."

Jia Baoyu felt utterly despondent. In the cold winter, he had nowhere to go. He staggered out of Xiaoxiang Pavilion, not knowing where to go.

He dared to go out like that, but the servants at Xiaoxiang Pavilion didn't dare to let him go. After all, it wasn't the first or second time that Master Bao had gone mad. It was cold at night in winter, and if he had a relapse of his madness and didn't feel the cold outside, he might catch a cold. Would the old lady really let them off easy?

Three old women chased after Jia Baoyu from Xiaoxiang Pavilion; two followed him, while one went to Yihong Courtyard to find Xiren.

With Jia Baoyu gone, Lin Daiyu's extremely awkward mood finally eased a little.

Zijuan brought in a bucket of warm water and placed it on the table, preparing it for the young lady to drink that evening.

"Miss, Master Bao has left."

Lin Daiyu simply hummed in agreement.

Zijuan laughed and said, "It seems that Master Bao's madness is about to flare up again. Last time—"

"Aren't you going to tell the old lady?" Lin Daiyu asked back.

Zijuan was taken aback. Lin Daiyu felt a little reluctant to continue the conversation because of her expression. She took the initiative to give her a way out: "Go and tell the old lady that I have returned and everything is fine. Go and pay your respects to her tomorrow morning."

Zijuan lowered her head in a panic, afraid that the girl would notice something was amiss: "I'll just have a drink of water and then I'll go."

The inner room was completely empty, with only Lin Daiyu in quiet solitude.

I was indeed a little flustered when I first returned to Rongguo Mansion, but now that I've calmed down, the reasons behind it all aren't hard to guess.

Her Lin family was renowned for its wealth and status, having produced four generations of nobles. It was also a scholarly family; her father served as the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai for many years, and her tutor was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

What is it that she can't understand? She's just hiding her true abilities and pretending to be stupid all the time.

My second uncle's official position is absolutely indispensable.

The Jia family was a family of two dukes, and the Ningguo family next door had previously held the position of military governor of the capital, wielding military power and in charge of the security of the nine gates of the capital. They were the emperor's most trusted confidants and the most powerful of the powerful in the capital.

There were also positions in the Rongguo Mansion's military, and he was in charge of the Ministry of Works, repairing the palace, dredging waterways, and building imperial tombs. These were extremely lucrative projects, and the Duke of Rongguo did countless of them in his early years.

What about now?

None of his descendants were promising; they had no hope of passing the imperial examinations or joining the army, and had long been excluded from the circle of powerful and wealthy people in the capital.

Even though a concubine was born, the Rongguo Mansion doesn't look like a proper imperial family at all.

None of the official positions that should have been granted to members of the imperial family were held by them.

And then there are the three sisters of the Imperial Concubine. Shouldn't they often come to the palace to keep the Imperial Concubine company and help her improve her status? Especially if they are brought to the Empress Dowager and receive a few words of praise from her, it would be better than anything else.

The masters in the palace didn't treat the Imperial Concubine as a proper relative at all.

Therefore, the fifth-rank official position that the second uncle was appointed as a favored official in the Ministry of Works was the only fig leaf for the Jia family.

—It is absolutely, absolutely essential to keep it!

Without this, the Jia family would lose even the last shred of dignity, leaving them only to... live a life of idleness and waiting for death, hastening their demise.

But the more they lack something, the more they demand it: extravagance, rules, and pomp. When assigning tasks, they would rather have their servants embezzle 70% of the funds than cut expenses or conduct a proper audit.

Isn't it all just to show that our Rongguo Mansion is a large and prosperous family, and we don't care about this small amount of money?

Lin Daiyu sighed. She had originally been cautious and watched coldly, but when did she also become bewitched?

Was it because they saw that Jia Baoyu and Shi Xiangyun were too naive and reckless?

Or was it because he was taciturn and submissive when he met Yingchun?

Or perhaps it was because she wanted to change things after seeing Sister Feng and Tan Chun, but had no way to do so?

There's also Xichun, who only wants to become a nun, and her maternal grandmother, who desires a peaceful life and a harmonious family.

Whether she can escape or not, at least she's now conscious.

Lin Daiyu lay down, her hand instinctively reaching under the pillow to grasp the rattle drum that Mu Chuan had given her.

"Thank you, Third Brother."

"Sigh..." Lin Daiyu's third brother sighed.

Although we've taken a big step forward today, we're still a little far from the finish line, so we can't just use the rounding method to get married directly.

According to his plan, the two of them have now gotten to a certain level and can talk about some deep topics. The next step is to take her to some banquets for young unmarried men and women so that she can meet other young talents.

This further confirms from another angle that Jia Baoyu is incompetent.

Speaking of which, such banquets usually start at the Flower Festival and end some time after the Qingming Festival. That was also his original plan. He would take her out for a spring outing every few days starting at the Flower Festival. By that calculation, he was quite ahead of schedule.

Thinking about it this way, Mu Chuan felt a little happy again.

"Oh no. I forgot to ask her for a handkerchief." Mu Chuan called over Granny Shen. "Go to the Rongguo Mansion first thing tomorrow morning and ask Miss Lin for some handkerchiefs."

Granny Shen smiled knowingly: "Congratulations, General, are you now able to exchange handkerchiefs?"

Mu Chuan chuckled: "It was a return gift she gave to another girl."

Granny Shen was greatly disappointed. She muttered provocatively, "The general is nothing special," and shook her head as she walked away.

Zijuan had already arrived at Grandmother Jia's room. The candlelight in the inner room was not bright, which made the deep lines on Grandmother Jia's face look even more frightening. Zijuan did not dare to look for long and lowered her head after just one glance.

"Ancestor."

Grandmother Jia's tone softened and she smiled, "It must have been tiring for you to accompany Yu'er out today." She then changed the subject, "I heard from them that your brother is doing very well in his post. He received a lot of bonuses this year and will be promoted next year."

"It's all thanks to the good teaching of the supervisors and the cultivation of the masters."

This answer pleased Grandmother Jia greatly, and she then asked, "Is the Earl of Zhongyong amiable? Did you ask the question I asked you to ask?"

Zijuan respectfully replied, "Reporting to the old lady, I asked her. I took the opportunity to go and pour water for the young lady, first thanking Uncle Zhongyong for taking care of her, and then I took the opportunity to say what Sister Yuanyang taught me. But Uncle Zhongyong only replied, 'I know.'"

The room was quiet for a moment, then Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "You don't know, it's already rare for someone in such a high position to even respond to you with just three words. If it weren't for the Rongguo Mansion and Yu'er's sake, kicking you out would be the least of their worries. You've already done more than enough. You're a loyal servant, I know that."

Zijuan added, "This servant dares not take credit. This servant originally planned to come after the young lady had gone to sleep, but the young lady was afraid that the old lady would worry, so she specially asked this servant to come and pay her respects to the old lady, and also said that she would come to keep the old lady company early tomorrow morning."

Grandmother Jia laughed loudly, "You certainly know how to talk. Yuanyang, pick out a few nice-looking silver ingots for her to make for the New Year."

Yuanyang led Zijuan outside. Grandmother Jia was the Duchess of Rongguo Mansion, and the only living person in Rongguo Mansion who could be associated with the Duke. The silver ingots in her room were better than those in other people's rooms.

The largest is twenty taels, and the smallest is two taels.

Yuanyang picked up a ten-tael "Peace and Joy" coin and three two-tael "Good Fortune and Prosperity" coins for her. After thinking for a moment, she took out a gold ingot with the Year of the Snake zodiac sign and gave it to her, saying with a smile, "Take this and string it with a red string and wear it around your neck from the first day of the lunar new year until the eve of next year. It has been blessed at the temple to bring good luck and ward off evil."

The maidservant saw Zijuan out, and Yuanyang went back. Grandmother Jia asked, "When do you think would be a good time to invite the Marquis of Zhongyong? The 23rd is definitely not an option, and the 25th or 26th would be too late. How about the 24th of the twelfth lunar month?"

Yuanyang sensed the urgency and said, "The 24th is the best. Our ancestor was very thoughtful. As the saying goes, sweep the house on the 24th. He might be needed for other activities, but he definitely won't need to sweep the house himself. He'll be fine on that day."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Very good, I'll send someone to deliver the small table screen and Yu'er's letter to him tomorrow. But..." Grandmother Jia suddenly sighed again, "Min'er only left Yu'er as her child, and I'm afraid I'll mistreat her. I..."

Yuanyang knew what Grandmother Jia meant, but she only dared to offer the first layer of comfort: "The Earl of Zhongyong sent quite a few things again today. He must consider Miss Lin as a younger sister, just like a younger sister—"

Yuanyang paused, then exaggeratedly pursed her lips, saying with obvious disdain, "Even the gentlemen in our household have never treated their own sisters this well. It's clear that Earl Zhongyong is an honest man and truly regards our son-in-law Lin as his benefactor."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia felt a surge of joy, as if all her worries had vanished. She smiled and said, "Quickly bring me hot water to wash up. Get some rest early; let's have a good New Year this year!"

The next morning, Lin Daiyu woke up and reached out to pull back the bed curtains a crack. To her surprise, it was a bright and sunny day outside. She then took out the pocket watch that her third brother had given her from under her pillow.

"It's Chen Shi (7-9 AM)!" Lin Daiyu exclaimed in surprise.

Hearing the commotion, Xueyan came in from outside and said with a smile, "It's almost Chenshi (7-9 AM). Miss slept for five and a half hours yesterday. This morning, Sister Zijuan and I both came in to check on you. You slept really well. Before, you could only sleep for three or four hours a night and would wake up at the slightest noise. It's clear that you're much better now."

Zijuan was followed by a maid carrying hot water, waiting to help Lin Daiyu wash up.

Before she could even finish combing her hair, she heard the old woman outside laughing and greeting someone, "Sister Zhou is here."

The only person who could be addressed so respectfully by the old women was Zhou Rui's wife, who was Lady Wang's personal maid.

What is she doing here? Lin Daiyu recalled the terrifying laughter of Yuanyang and Lian Erge last night and began to guess.

"Call her in, Zijuan, and go pour tea for Mother Zhou."